Edging your lawn will give it a professional appearance that looks great and enhances curb appeal. It’s a job you can do on your own, too. All you need are the right tools and a desire to learn a helpful new lawn care skill.
So, before you head outside to get started, read on to learn how to edge your lawn like a pro.
Why Should I Edge My Lawn?
Edging your lawn is an important part of maintaining a well-kept home exterior. It clears overgrown grass and weeds from walkways and makes every border look crisp and tidy.
Must-Have Tools for Lawn Edging
- Lawn mower
- Rope or a garden hose
- A lawn edging tool. You can use a manual or power edger. Manual edgers tend to provide more control on curved areas, so keep that in mind if your landscaping includes curved spots.
- Weed whacker
Now that you have the right tools, let’s get started.
Step 1: Mow your lawn
Start with a clean slate by mowing your lawn. This will also make it easier to clean your edges up with a weed whacker as you finish up the job.
Step 2: Mark your edging path
Use a rope or garden hose to mark the path where you plan to edge. The goal is to edge between your marker and the pavement, flower beds, or other landscaping borders.
This step is similar to taping before painting. And while it’s never a wise idea to paint without taping, some homeowners are comfortable skipping this step and edging their lawns without marking. Doing so could damage plants you didn’t want to get rid of.
Step 3: Start edging
When edging a straight path, start at one end. If you need to edge a curved area, it’s often easier to start in the middle and work your way out to either side.
With a power edger, keep it under control by engaging your core and maintaining good posture. Go slowly to make sure you stay on the right path. Manual edgers require you to push the blade into the ground with your foot, then rotate the blade to cut.
Two inches deep is a good rule of thumb, and always be on the lookout for buried cables, pipes, and sprinkler lines.
Step 4: Take frequent breaks to check out your edging
Make sure your lines are clean and straight by frequently removing cut turf and taking a few steps back to assess your work. Checking your edging is also the perfect reason to take a short break.
Step 5: Make your edges perfect with a weed whacker
You’re almost done and all that’s left to do is weed whacking (you can also use hand shears for more control).
You want to trim the grass so that it lines up with the edge of the trench you just dug. Regular lawn maintenance and edging will keep your yard looking clean.
